You don't need a title to realise your potential, just believe in yourself and focus on your goals

Title : The power of purpose

Author : Chitra Jha

Location :

Article Date : 08/25/2010

You don't need a title to realise your potential, just believe in yourself and focus on your goals

How many of us live truly purposeful lives and how many just drift along, always trying to fit in with the trends, living life on others' terms? A lack of an individual or collective purpose makes us feel inadequate, helpless and powerless. Lao Tzu, a famous Chinese philosopher who lived more than 2,500 years ago, had said, “The biggest problem in the world today is that individuals experience themselves as powerless.“ We haven't progressed much on this count in these two-and-ahalf millenniums. We still feel helpless, negative, lethargic, frustrated, and resentful. We often live in fear, enslaved by our circumstances, which we think are beyond our control.
All these are signs of powerlessness. Our efforts to achieve success in any field are sabotaged by powerlessness as it breeds negativity.

True power comes with purpose. It brings an inner awareness, an inner state of being in control, knowing that we can achieve our goals. It brings a calm conviction about our true identity.
It makes us believe that we can achieve all that we set out to achieve in life. It gives us a quiet confidence in our abilities. It helps us set a direction for our life. It makes us distinguish among circumstances over which we have some control and over which we have no control.
This power makes us define ourselves from inside out. It makes our internal space a positive one. From this space, our internal dialogue always moves us towards self-confidence. We constantly keep affirming, “I am a capable person. I can handle all life challenges with élan. I am creative. I learn from all my mistakes. Etc. etc.“

Mahatma Gandhi is a shining example of a person who used the power of purpose in the most effective manner.
He held no political office. He didn't possess great wealth.
He was a small, frail, scantilyclad man, who took on the might of the British empire and drove the erstwhile rulers without firing a single shot. How did he achieve this supposedly impossible goal?
He could do it with the power of purpose; the power which can move mountains and achieve miracles.

How can we cultivate this power in our lives? This power comes with a vision for our future. It comes when we open up to new possibilities.
It comes when we nurture our inherent strengths. Yes, each one of us has been granted numerous gifts by nature/ God/ the universe/ spirit/ energy/ intelligence...
whatever name you may call it. Ask yourself, “What are the blessings/ gifts/ powers that I have been blessed with so far?“ Make a list of these blessings. Your list could include a safe and secure home, a loving family, fresh drinking water, plenty of food, good health, a sound mind, education, employment, friends, freedom from life threats, talents, abilities etc.

Once you have made this list, you are ready to ask the next question: “Why have I been given all these gifts? What is the purpose?“ This is a very important question, so let the answer come in from deep inside you. For some, the purpose could be to experience love, joy, beauty, and aliveness. For some others, it could be sharing the gifts and supporting others in living joyful, authentic lives. Some may be inclined to create conditions where everyone can live with inner security and peace. Some may wish to understand more about the human nature and human experience. There can be as many purposes as there are people, since each one of us is unique, with our unique bouquet of gifts and talents.

Once you have identified your most compelling purpose you are ready for the final question. Ask yourself, “What actions do I need to take today in the direction of my life's purpose? How can I align my gifts with the purpose I have identified?“ Whichever way you may frame this question, the answer to this question will give you the power of purpose. This answer will make you look at each moment as an opportunity to march forward on your chosen path.

So, ask these questions, honestly answer them and find your power of purpose.
This power will propel you towards success in any chosen field because this field will be aligned with who you are.

The author is a life-skills coach, time-line therapist, and new consciousness writer. Contact: chitrajhaa@gmail.com

Original link http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/PUBLICATIONS/HT/HD/2010/08/25/ArticleHtmls/The-power-of-purpose-25082010604005.shtml?Mode=1

Difference between Love and Obsession

Difference between Love and Obsession

Love. As much as people think they know ‘love’ and have experienced it, the truth is that it is very, very rare. In fact, it is one of the most confused and ‘mis-understood’ feelings in the world. Hatred, jealousy, envy, anger: easy to understand and infer. But love… how does one know that it is love… and not like? not attraction? not obsession?

It is really sad when people mistake their feelings of ‘anything-but-love’ for love. It not only creates heart-breaks, break-ups, fights, arguments, separation, divorce, but it causes such low-level emotions of revenge, resentment, anger, egotism and violence. But more than anything, more than the likings, crushes, attractions, what is saddest is the ‘love’ which is in reality an ‘obsession’.

Obsession is strong, its reason being addiction. In obsession, you do not love the person, you need the person- for your own self. Obsession is one of the most selfish and cruel emotions amongst mankind. It has only to do with the self, with the ego and has not a trace of compassion or kindness. Obsessive love kills. It harms. It seeks revenge if the self is not placated continuously. Obsession is a disease…

Once a boy liked a girl and grew obsessive about her. The young girl was still unsure about her feelings for him beyond liking and friendship, and therefore never committed to him. But the boy, who was otherwise a nice regular guy, popular with friends, was blind to everything else other than his need for her and the sense of achievement in getting her. With time, when the girl realised that she did not love him, she told him so. Instead of accepting her truthful admission, he tried to hurt her. He grew into a rage and became vindictive. All the love he claimed for her vanished into thin air in a single moment. The strangeness of it didnt matter to him. What inkled him was his hurt ego. He cared no more of the girl’s welfare or her happiness. He sent threats to her and her friends. He hacked her email accounts and messed up her social networking pages. He raged and ranted.

All this made the girl sad and disillusioned-not angry, for she had been his friend in the past, and tried to understand him in her simple heart. But she could not make sense of such hatred from someone who had professed his love for her so fervently. Her faith in love broke forever. The story has a sad ending because soon enough the girl died, never knowing that it was not love that failed, but the foolishness and immaturity of a person. The boy was only obsessed with her; there was no love. We dont know what happened to the boy after the girl died. Whether he forgave her in her death, or forgave himself in his realisation of the truth at last.

In true love, you live for the other person. You wish for the other person’s happiness, irrespective of whether that person loves you back or not, even if the love is unrequited and that person loves somebody else instead. True love is loving without selfish thoughts. When you truly love somebody, your whole existence is focused on making that person happy, your life revolves around him, and your every dream includes him and his smile. You realise and understand that you are born to be with him and for him. You instinctively know that you are soulmates and your heart aches for the other person. You are willing to give up every material and shallow pleasure of life, if it brings about even a little more happiness to the other person, although it may bring pain upon you. You realise that every passing moment just makes your love deeper, stronger and more generous. You become a better human being because you are fulfilled in your life like nothing else in the world can be.

But it happens so many times that couples declare that they love each other, when in fact they do not. What they feel at their inner-most sanctums is possessiveness, ownership and an urgent need to guard this property of theirs, and feed their egos. In their relationships, there is passion, pleasure, self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement- all quite short-lived and transient. And always, never peace. That sense of peace and bliss which comes only to soulmates in their love. For the rest, it is always a searching, always a seeking of the answers, always a compromise at a crossing.

http://remaindersofalife.wordpress.com/2010/05/17/difference-between-love-and-obsession/

Love And The Law Of Attraction

Posted on August 8, 2010 by OSHO Times

Only a loving person — one who is already loving — can find the right partner.

This is my observation: if you are unhappy you will find somebody who is unhappy. Unhappy people are attracted towards unhappy people. And it is good, it is natural. It is good that the unhappy people are not attracted towards happy people; otherwise they would destroy their happiness. It is perfectly okay.

Only happy people are attracted towards happy people.

The same attracts the same. Intelligent people are attracted towards intelligent people; stupid people are attracted towards stupid people.

You meet people of the same plane. So the first thing to remember is: a relationship is bound to be bitter if it has grown out of unhappiness. First be happy, be joyful, be celebrating, and then you will find some other soul celebrating and there will be a meeting of two dancing souls and a great dance will arise out of it.

The need to be loved is childish, immature. The need to love is mature.

Don’t ask for a relationship out of loneliness, no. Then you are moving in a wrong direction. Then the other will be used as a means and the other will use you as a means. And nobody wants to be used as a means! Every single individual is an end unto himself. It is immoral to use anybody as a means.

First learn how to be alone. Meditation is a way of being alone.

If you can be happy when you are alone, you have learned the secret of being happy. Now you can be happy together. If you are happy, then you have something to share, to give. And when you give you get; it is not the other way. Then a need arises to love somebody.

Ordinarily the need is to be loved by somebody. It is a wrong need. It is a childish need; you are not mature. It is a child’s attitude.

A child is born. Of course, the child cannot love the mother; he does not know what love is and he does not know who is the mother and who is the father. He is totally helpless. His being is still to be integrated; he is not one piece; he is not together yet. He is just a possibility. The mother has to love, the father has to love, the family has to shower love on the child. Now he learns one thing: that everybody has to love him. He never learns that he has to love. Now the child will grow, and if he remains stuck with this attitude that everybody has to love him, he will suffer his whole life. His body has grown, but his mind has remained immature.

A mature person is one who comes to know the other need: that now I have to love somebody.

The need to be loved is childish, immature. The need to love is mature.

And when you are ready to love somebody, a beautiful relationship will arise; otherwise not.

“Is it possible for two people in a relationship to be bad for each other?” Yes, that’s what is happening all over the world. To be good is very difficult. You are not good even to yourself. How can you be good to somebody else?

You don’t even love yourself! How can you love somebody else? Love yourself, be good to yourself.

Your so-called religious saints have been teaching you never to love yourself, never to be good to yourself. Be hard on yourself! They have been teaching you be soft towards others and hard towards yourself. This is absurd.

I teach you that the first and foremost thing is to be loving towards yourself. Don’t be hard; be soft. Care about yourself. Learn how to forgive yourself — again and again and again — seven times, seventy-seven times, seven hundred seventy-seven times. Learn how to forgive yourself. Don’t be hard; don’t be antagonistic towards yourself. Then you will flower.

In that flowering you will attract some other flower. It is natural. Stones attract stones; flowers attract flowers. Then there is a relationship which has grace, which has beauty, which has a benediction in it. If you can find such a relationship, your relationship will grow into prayer;your love will become an ecstasy and through love you will know what the divine is.

OSHO – Ecstasy: The Forgotten Language

Love And The Law Of Attraction

Posted on August 8, 2010 by OSHO Times

Only a loving person — one who is already loving — can find the right partner.

This is my observation: if you are unhappy you will find somebody who is unhappy. Unhappy people are attracted towards unhappy people. And it is good, it is natural. It is good that the unhappy people are not attracted towards happy people; otherwise they would destroy their happiness. It is perfectly okay.

Only happy people are attracted towards happy people.

The same attracts the same. Intelligent people are attracted towards intelligent people; stupid people are attracted towards stupid people.

You meet people of the same plane. So the first thing to remember is: a relationship is bound to be bitter if it has grown out of unhappiness. First be happy, be joyful, be celebrating, and then you will find some other soul celebrating and there will be a meeting of two dancing souls and a great dance will arise out of it.

The need to be loved is childish, immature. The need to love is mature.

Don’t ask for a relationship out of loneliness, no. Then you are moving in a wrong direction. Then the other will be used as a means and the other will use you as a means. And nobody wants to be used as a means! Every single individual is an end unto himself. It is immoral to use anybody as a means.

First learn how to be alone. Meditation is a way of being alone.

If you can be happy when you are alone, you have learned the secret of being happy. Now you can be happy together. If you are happy, then you have something to share, to give. And when you give you get; it is not the other way. Then a need arises to love somebody.

Ordinarily the need is to be loved by somebody. It is a wrong need. It is a childish need; you are not mature. It is a child’s attitude.

A child is born. Of course, the child cannot love the mother; he does not know what love is and he does not know who is the mother and who is the father. He is totally helpless. His being is still to be integrated; he is not one piece; he is not together yet. He is just a possibility. The mother has to love, the father has to love, the family has to shower love on the child. Now he learns one thing: that everybody has to love him. He never learns that he has to love. Now the child will grow, and if he remains stuck with this attitude that everybody has to love him, he will suffer his whole life. His body has grown, but his mind has remained immature.

A mature person is one who comes to know the other need: that now I have to love somebody.

The need to be loved is childish, immature. The need to love is mature.

And when you are ready to love somebody, a beautiful relationship will arise; otherwise not.

“Is it possible for two people in a relationship to be bad for each other?” Yes, that’s what is happening all over the world. To be good is very difficult. You are not good even to yourself. How can you be good to somebody else?

You don’t even love yourself! How can you love somebody else? Love yourself, be good to yourself.

Your so-called religious saints have been teaching you never to love yourself, never to be good to yourself. Be hard on yourself! They have been teaching you be soft towards others and hard towards yourself. This is absurd.

I teach you that the first and foremost thing is to be loving towards yourself. Don’t be hard; be soft. Care about yourself. Learn how to forgive yourself — again and again and again — seven times, seventy-seven times, seven hundred seventy-seven times. Learn how to forgive yourself. Don’t be hard; don’t be antagonistic towards yourself. Then you will flower.

In that flowering you will attract some other flower. It is natural. Stones attract stones; flowers attract flowers. Then there is a relationship which has grace, which has beauty, which has a benediction in it. If you can find such a relationship, your relationship will grow into prayer;your love will become an ecstasy and through love you will know what the divine is.

OSHO – Ecstasy: The Forgotten Language